Goths and clove smoking has been a longtime parodied, true to form, and consistent nuance of the Gothic subculture. Anyone who has been in a Gothic or Industrial club knows the familiar sweet, yet spicy cinnamon like smell of the draped in black cancer stick. Dark, smooth and sultry these conversation starters and occasional pickup magnets never fail to attract attention until the night is over and the first rays of sunlight beckon sleep.
While I am not a cigarette smoker, I have been known to enjoy a clove here and there with a few drinks. Lately I went as far as to stuff Djarum blacks into the discontinued in the U.S., fabled red and black Sampoerna Xtras box, just to get the satisfaction of confused looks.
Author Alicia Porter Smith ponders the question on her blog Stuffgothslike , “Why do Goths smoke cloves”?
“Is it because they are worse for your health than regular cigarettes, therefore beckoning Death at an accelerated rate? “
Perhaps unconsciously the urge towards rebellion and self destruction does drive Goths toward clove smoking, however it could also be the color, spicy/sweet taste and morose appeal.
Regardless of whether one is a smoker or not, another stab at withdrawing civil liberties has been actualized. The Obama administration has approved the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, a move that gives the FDA control to regulate every aspect of Tobacco product advertising, distribution and who knows what else. The first step of which is banning “flavored” products, or using the terms “mild” or “light”. We all know that when something is banned, people go out of their way to try and find it, import it, or create it to no end.
If the Government was paying 100% of everyone’s health care costs, I can understand their having a say in what you put into your body – since illness related treatment and prevention would come out of their pocket, but this is not yet the case.
I say let “we the people” make our own decisions about what we can consume, grow in our backyard, or purchase… are we one step closer to a totalitarian dystopia?
What do you think?
